These veterans have the best shot at upstaging Johnson

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There's something about the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am that brings out the best in PGA TOUR veterans. There are many elements about the event that conspire against young players and weigh in as an advantage to those guys who have been around the block a few times.

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Davis Love III always -- and we mean always -- plays Pebble Beach. The 20-time PGA TOUR winner shared some of his best memories from his 25 starts in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. More

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Aside from the precocious Dustin Johnson, who was apparently born to play on the Monterey Peninsula, the list of winners produced over the last 10 years is loaded with guys who weren't competing in their first rodeo -- or Clambake.

Steve Lowery beat Vijay Singh in 2008 for the most recent of his three TOUR victories. Phil Mickelson won in 2007 for the third time. Throw in wins by Tiger Woods, Davis Love III and Singh and it's easy to make the point that a winner at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am usually needs high doses of both skill and experience.

The experience is most helpful when it comes to dealing with the unusual circumstances of the tournament, which is unlike any event on the schedule. Players must come prepared to cope with blips in the weather; anything from rain to fog to sunshine is possible.

The course conditions are different, too, with the poa annua greens trending toward the bumpy side in the afternoon rounds.

Players must be ready to deal with the three courses in the rotation: Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and the Monterey Peninsula Country Club. And if they don't go low at Spyglass, their chances of winning are greatly reduced.

Perhaps the experience comes in most handy when it comes to dealing with their amateur players. The PGA TOUR players are accustomed to playing in a pro-am each week, but those are under different circumstances. This week they'll play three rounds with a team of amateurs, with their score counting toward the cut.

The veteran players have the edge when it comes to dealing with the amateurs and settling in for what is normally a very slow round. Experience helps in these matters.

Here are five veteran players to watch this week. Their experience in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am could conspire in their favor -- if Dustin Johnson decides to let anyone else play in what has become his personal sandbox.

Singh

Vijay Singh: He's finished in the top 11 for three of the last five years and appears to be on the way to righting himself after a non-Vijay season. He was third last week in Phoenix and has the type of personality that suits the circumstances at Pebble Beach.

Mike Weir: He's not off to the greatest start -- missing the cut at the Hope and barely hanging around (T77) at Torrey Pines. But Weir knows how to play at Pebble, where he's done everything except win. He was second in 2005 and 2009, third in 2006 and fourth in 2004.

David Duval: His tie for second here last year was the building block for his return to competitiveness. Duval is showing signs that he's getting close -- again -- with a pair of top 25s the last two weeks.

D.J. Trahan: Not that old (30), but seems to enjoy the event. He's finished in the top 10 for the last two years. Trahan has go-low potential and could be dangerous if conditions are right during his round at Spyglass. He's gotten off to a slow start, having missed the cut in two of the first three events.

Tim Clark: In his last five starts in the event, Clark has two top-10s and two other top-25s. He's smart enough to manage his game there and seems confidence on the sometimes unpredictable greens. Clark hasn't played since finishing tied for second at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

What about the hottest player in the game: two-time winner Mark Wilson? His AT&T results have been less-than-stellar. He's never had a top-10 finish there, with a tie for 25th in 2007 as his best showing. But he's playing better than ever. And, at age 36, he definitely fits into the veteran mold.

So while youth is often served in professional golf -- particularly over the last year -- this may be a week to watch for a graybeard.

Stan Awtrey is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR.